Worry and fear can bring about a lot of unpleasant effects in our life. It can distract us so much that we can’t do the work or even leisure activities we want to do. Worrying can disturb our appetite, making eating difficult. Perhaps the most frequent effect from worrying is lack of sleep. Thinking and fretting about our problems while we lie in bed at night, tossing and turning, trying to come up with some solution, steals our sleep away. It makes us tired, run down, irritable, and only makes the problems worse. King David was someone who had many problems and anxious times in his life, and could so easily and understandably have given in to worry and lost sleep. Yet as our psalm for today records, he did not allow that to happen. Let’s look into this psalm and its background, and see what his secret was.
Psalm 3 was written by King David when he had to flee Jerusalem because of the rebellion led by his son Absalom, which is described in II Samuel 15 - 18. David was no stranger to difficult times, having spent many years on the run from King Saul who frequently sought his life. As a general in Saul’s army, he faced the worries and concerns of the frequent wars with the Philistines and other enemies. When he became king of Israel, there were all the stresses and worries that came with this position. Then his own son, Absalom, tried to take the throne away from him, seizing control of the palace and Jerusalem, forcing David to flee the city, running for his life. Not only would that be a very anxious time, it was all the more distressing because it was being caused by his son, his own flesh and blood.
As David camped out with his few true friends, looking back towards the lights of Jerusalem, his capital city now in the hands of his many enemies, seeing the troops of Absalom growing in number by the thousands, he penned these words. He acknowledged that his enemies were many (vs. 1-2). Those he thought he could trust had turned against him. Many believed that David’s reign was over, and that even God could not, or would not, help him. Despite their dire predictions and comments, David stayed true to God. What his enemies said of David here, the enemies of Jesus also said to Him as He hung on the cross (Matthew 27:43).
We could expect and understand if David gave in to his worries, and lie awake at night letting anxiety overcome him. However, that is not what David did, even for one night. David was at peace with whatever outcome occurred. He knew that God’s great purposes would prevail. He turned his eyes away from his enemies, and on to the Lord.
As David continued through this psalm, he testified that because of his trust in God, even during these darkest days of his life, he was able to lie down and fall right asleep and awaken later well-rested (vs. 5). There was no tossing and turning in his bed, no staring up to the roof of his tent, anxiously worrying about what was going to happen. Since God was protecting him, David didn’t need to worry. He could rest and go to sleep, even in the worst of trials.
That is a truth which we all need to grab ahold of, especially when the worries loom large in our mind, and restful sleep slips away. The assurance of answered prayer brings peace to believers and followers of the Lord Jesus. We can rest when we truly believe that God is in control. David knew the same Biblical truth that Paul did in the New Testament, and that we should know and believe as well, that when God is on our side, no one can stand against us (Romans 8:31). It didn’t matter that Absalom tried to take the throne away from him, David knew that God had promised it to him, and that he could trust any promise God made. His enemies could try what they wanted, God would protect him. If we have put our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus, we are then God’s children, and He will watch over and protect us. We do not need to fear what others who oppose God will try to do. We should trust God’s promises, just as David did.
Like David learned, we can cast all of our care, all of our worries and anxieties, upon God. He will take them because He cares for us (I Peter 5:7; Psalm 55:22). Like David, we can then roll over and peacefully go to sleep. We can be confident that the Lord will sustain us through the night, and be our shield and glory through the day.
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